Gaels ‘disappointed’ with sixth place finish, looks to improve

When the Iona College men’s soccer team fell 1-0 to Canisius in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament, there was a sick feeling left in the players’ stomachs as they witnessed their season come to an end.

“I feel disappointed,” junior forward Killian Colombie said. “I truly believe that we deserved more and we certainly deserved to finish top three of the league.”

The Gaels finished the year 5-7-4 and 4-4-2 in the MAAC, which was good for sixth place in the conference standings. Even though Iona was bounced out early in the playoffs, the players know they are taking steps in the right direction.

“Beating a top 25 team for our season opener, and displaying consistent and complete performances throughout the season, this team has shown its potential and set the tone for a very promising season next year,” junior defender Humbert Ferrer, who started 16 games, said.

Colombie, who is a native of France, also expressed optimism for his senior season and excited to see what the team can bring.

“We have a young group of guys that got a lot of experience this year,” Colombie said. “So we are looking forward to playing next season to show people what we can do together.”

The Gaels had their highs and lows, but their 1-0 victory over Quinnipiac on Oct. 11 showed the toughness and perseverance they possess.

“It was a massive game at the time and Quinnipiac is a difficult opponent,” head coach James Hamilton said. “The game could’ve easily turned a bit nasty but our guys maintained composure, didn’t get drawn into to some of the dirty tactics we saw from the opponent, stayed on task and got the job done.”

Hamilton knows his team had some amazing moments this year, but they shouldn’t be happy about finishing in sixth.

“We have higher standards for ourselves and can’t be okay with a sixth place finish, despite the fine margins between the top six,” Hamilton said. “We were one or two results away from competing for that top spot and we need to find the consistency that will get us there in the coming years.”